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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23351155">Kikyo, Captured</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoyalBlueRoses/pseuds/RoyalBlueRoses'>RoyalBlueRoses</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Inspired by InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Inu Youkai (InuYasha), Naraku - Freeform, Original Character Death(s), Tragedy, Tragic Romance, Unrequited Love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:48:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,900</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23351155</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoyalBlueRoses/pseuds/RoyalBlueRoses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if: Kikyo and Naraku become unexpectedly mortal once again when a violent act of revenge causes unexpected results for the loathe-stricken couple. Can Kagome &amp; InuYasha make love blossom in two dead, broken hearts? Will their spirits ever find peace? Is it even possible for love in this world of illusory death? Narakik/InuKag. If he couldn't have her, no-one could.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kikyou/Naraku (InuYasha)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! Welcome to my first attempt at Inuyasha fanfic. I've been a long-time fan, and I was suddenly hit by the inspiration to write this, and another story I'll post separately. Our starting point will begin at episode 33, "Kikyo, Captured by Naraku." One of my favorite episodes. I have re-written it to suit my needs and feel it's the perfect way to start before things become altered, after that everything will be original. I know most people are really not fans of Naraku or Kikyo but, stay tuned and just see what happens!</p><p>I do not own Inuyasha, rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kikyo lied listless on the floor, where she stared up aimlessly at the ceiling. She was cold, chilled down to the bone, her pale flesh lacking the flush of fresh blood pumping through her veins, as he trailed his cool fingertips down her alabaster cheek. She shivered from the touch of his equally as deadened flesh.</p>
<p></p><div>
  <p>The hiss of a soul catcher dancing across the air was shattered as it was electrified and disintegrated on the dark shoji door, through the cracks of which the sky seemed blood red.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"...I have put up a barrier, it seems you are paralyzed without your soul catchers."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Naraku..." Kikyo uttered, opening her deep brown eyes to glare up at him. The man simply smiles, holding her by the chin as he leans in to eye her closely, as if bathing her entire body with his despicable gaze. She grits her teeth and attempts to move her fingertips, but to no avail.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"The Holy Miko... Now, reduced to stealing the miserable souls of mortal women...? Kikyo, how pathetic you've become." He sneered, sitting back and placing his pale hands on his lap.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I must assimilate their souls in order to sustain this body, such as you require the culmination of those lowly demons in the mountain to live..." Kikyo smirks, closing her eyes.</p>
</div><div><p>She had been a witness herself to the bloody show of desperation; pitting demons to fight to the death; absorbing one another until only the victor remained, a disfigured motley of bodies. The remainder would be consumed by Naraku to preserve his <em>own</em> imperfect flesh, and make his demonic flesh more powerful. That was when he had captured her, when the souls sucked from her body had left her incapacitated, and he was rejuvenated from his consumption of the foul accumulation of beasts.</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div><p>"I had cast the Fuko spell in order to create my new body. Then <em>you</em> appeared. You have the power to easily break the seal of the spell...If you had truly wanted to protect Inuyasha from being fused with the demon, you should have shot the demon with your arrow. The demon would have disintegrated, and the Fuko spell would have been broken. Were you trying to see what waited beyond the creation of the Kodoku...?" He asked, genuinely curious as he narrowed his crimson eyes on the frail beauty. Kikyo turned her gaze back on him and bared her teeth in a bitter grin.</p></div><div><p>"I simply had to know, what was at the demon's destination...And there <em>you</em> were. That is a mighty fine guise you don, <b>Onigumo</b>." She said with a soft laugh, sliding her eyes away and smirking up at the ceiling.</p></div><div><p>"...Onigumo, heh..How <b>sentimental</b> of you. 50 long years ago, you saved a wounded bandit and sheltered him in a cave. He was badly burnt, rendered invalid. In his desire for power, he offered his body willingly to the demons... to be devoured. Using Onigumo's tainted soul as their crucible, the gathered demons became one, and thus was born the new demon you know now-- Naraku." He mused, and pulled something from his kimono, then displayed it before her with a smug expression.</p></div><div><p><em>And it was he, who led me to my death those 50 years ago... 'Naraku'. Feh. </em>Kikyo thought coldly, as the soul catcher's blindly attempting to enter the barrier hit the walls and hiss with melancholy.</p></div><div><p>"You shall come in handy, surely Inuyasha wouldn't allow any harm to come to his <em>precious</em> Kikyo..." He chuckled lowly, then revealed a glimmering shard between his fingers.</p></div><div><p>"That’s…!" She gasped, feeling her heart race with recognition, and yet, it was halted as she saw the tiny shard in his hand, such a minuscule little thing; so vast in the overwhelming dread she knew now that the rest of the shards were free for any demon to take.</p></div><div><p>"Precisely. The very object you sacrificed your life for in trying to erase from the world. A mere <em>fragment</em> of the Shikon Jewel."</p></div><div><p>"...I have heard that you even went as far to kill me in your desire to possess the Shikon Jewel." She swallowed, meeting his eyes bravely once again. Naraku looked away, basking in the heat of her hateful gaze on his cheek.</p></div><div><p>"Yes, and I would again. Dear Kikyo... What do <em>you</em> know of <b>desire</b>? Such a pure beauty, truly. Untainted by mortal desires of the flesh." He said softly, blinking as his own demonic gaze met with hers, and trailed down to the chaste folds of her kimono.</p></div><div><p>"...How <em>delicious</em> would that be, a miko with eyes as wet and deep as crimson ichor?" He purred, and trailed his nail down the white fabric, peeling it back to expose just the soft summits of her breasts.</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div><p>Kikyo's breath hitched in her chest as it heaved, causing the dark desire in his eyes to alight all the more fervently. Perspiration dripped down her throat as he traced his fingers down the edges of the fabric and lowered his face, to taste the small drop of heat. He chuckled softly, his hot breath washing over her exposed throat as she gulped nervously. Kikyo flinched as he moved himself over her paralyzed body, and hovered just a hair's breadth from her.</p></div><div><p>"You're panting for your breath, you drip with anxious perspiration, how lovely would that be to see that virginal heat rise up in those cheeks?" His voice curled lustfully, and Kikyo keened out shrilly as he moved his groin roughly against hers.</p></div><div><p>Naraku laughed, like a child savoring the fruits of a well-planned prank. Her cheeks flushed hotly as he chuckled, and caressed her face with his hand before drawing away.</p></div><div><p>"Ah, to be as incorruptible as you! So coy you are, Kikyo. All the more entertaining." He gravelled, then opened the sliding door and allowed in one of her soul catchers. Naraku's eyes emitted a red light which instantaneously shattered the soul catcher's body. He then imbued the Shikon Jewel piece into the soul that it was carrying, and in turn, the orb glowed red.</p></div><div><p>The red flame hovered over Kikyo, then sunk into her chest and she took a shuddering inhale of breath. Her back arched up from the ground and her white kimono slid off her shoulders and hung from the peaks of her breasts as Naraku lifted her by her hips and kissed her exposed sternum. She felt a new power racing through her body, an unfamiliar darkness swirling in her mind.</p></div><div><p>Kikyo's husk of a body had been sustained by more than just the souls of women, she was driven to survive by her hatred for Inuyasha. Her broken heart made her hatred all the more fervent as she opened her eyes and they flashed with a maroon hue.</p></div><div><p>She cried out hoarsely as she clutched him by the shoulders roughly and convulsed beneath him, her agonized face concealed by the curtain of his dark crinkled waves surrounding her as she felt newfound sensations so unbearably intense, that they burned through her body painfully.</p></div><div><p><em>"Naraku...!" </em>Kikyo screamed, enraged, impassioned by her deep animosity.</p></div><div><p>"What have you done?!" She growled, and he dropped her writhing body to the floor, turning away.</p></div><div><p>"There is a young priestess travelling with Inuyasha who shares a resemblance with yourself. You despise her, correct? You must find her, and kill her. Do this for me, and I shall give you relief from the burning heat in your veins."</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div><p>Kikyo sat up then, and stared out with a far-off gaze as she stumbled to her feet, clutching her kimono around her chest. Her eyes flickered bright crimson, then back to brown as she blinked, and smiled.</p></div><div><p>"You need not persuade me. I shall remove her from this world, where she does not belong." Kikyo said coldly, and left Naraku's castle, taking her bow off the floor as he turned to observe the wooden demon puppet on the table, a wry grin curling up onto his cheek.</p></div></div></div></div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Twisted Fate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>~x•X•x~</strong>
</p><p>"Ok! That's enough sitting around!"</p><p>Kagome huffed to herself as she slung her arrows over her shoulder, feeling antsy to get going after all that had happened in the mountain. They had been lured there by the miasma, then InuYasha and Miroku went to investigate, and <em>who else </em>but Kikyo showed up?</p><p>"InuYasha. Stupid <strong>jerk</strong>!" She muttered to herself, she couldn't help but feel a little bit miffed that InuYasha had thrown himself into danger to try and rescue Kikyo. Once she'd been drained of her souls and fell into the Fuko spell, he had only only wanted to protect Kikyo. In fact, it was almost as if he <em>totally</em> forgot about her for a moment. She squeezed the wooden handle of her bow and shook her head.</p><p>
  <em>But it's not like he's my <strong>boyfriend</strong> or something!</em>
</p><p>Kagome's cheeks flushed hotly as she stormed over to where InuYasha was idly sitting, flapping one hand in the spring and splashing water at Shippo. He didn't even really seem to put that much effort into bullying the little fox demon, something that was one of his favorite pastimes. Shippo simply shook off the water, then blew a raspberry at the dejected hanyou and ran towards Kagome as she stood behind InuYasha.</p><p>"Um... Hey. InuYasha?" She said, timidly, picking Shippo up in her arms.</p><p>"What is it?" InuYasha grumbled, crossing his arms before side-eyeing her.</p><p>"Don't you think we should go and look for Kikyo...? Naraku has her!" She pouted, feeling frustrated. She may have had her qualms with Kikyo, but she didn't wish the fate of being alone with Naraku on <em>anyone</em>.</p><p>Miroku and Sango stood aways back, intently listening in on the strange conversation. They observed InuYasha and Kagome with mutual bafflement, then looked at one another.</p><p>"Don't you think... those two have been acting rather <em>odd</em> lately?" Sango said lowly, covering her mouth with her hand conspicuously.</p><p>Miroku leaned over and whispered back, "Yes, they are... let's see how InuYasha handles this one."</p><p>"Don't you worry about it. I'll go find Kikyo. You guys stay here." He said stubbornly, looking away from her. Kagome's mouth dropped open, speechless, but she was saved when Miroku came over and nudged InuYasha in the head with his foot.</p><p>"Don't be such a fool!" He scolded, and Kagome looked on in wonder as</p><p>InuYasha stubbornly took the nudging.</p><p>"Did you forget, Kikyo was captured by Naraku!" Sango added in as well, and Miroku nodded in agreement, removing his foot at last so that InuYasha could rub his head angrily.</p><p>"Sango is right. Naraku isn't just your problem alone. We've all got a bone to pick with him." He said wisely, and returned to Sango's side. Kagome watched Miroku retreat and took her chance, letting Shippo run off so she could speak with him privately as the others prepared to leave.</p><p>"InuYasha. If you're trying to spare my feelings or something, <strong>don't</strong>." She said bluntly, taking him by surprise</p><p>"Huh?" He exclaimed, backing away from her as she edged in closer to look into his eyes with those large, honey brown eyes.</p><p>"Kikyo saved you! She risked her life to break the spell! So... that's why, we should do the same... it's only fair." She reasoned, and InuYasha silently agreed.</p><p>"We're a team! We should work together all as one... No sneaking around!" Kagome suddenly growled, and InuYasha stiffened up, taking offense.</p><p>"Who said I was sneaking!? I don't '<strong><em>sneak</em></strong>' around! I told you exactly what I was doing!" He snapped back, then Miroku got their attention quickly, clapping his hands once.</p><p>"Shh! You two, stop that bickering! We have company!" He hissed, and they all looked up to see Naraku's spying venomous wasps flying away.</p><p>"Saimyosho!" InuYasha growled, and they took off towards the direction the wasps were flying. Kagome hopped onto the back of Kirara with Sango, to the demon slayer's surprise, as Kagome huddled down behind her.</p><p>"Shouldn't you ride with InuYasha..?" She said, watching as Kagome shook her head stubbornly.</p><p>"It's ok! Let's just go!" She squeaked out, and Sango shrugged.</p><p>
  <em>Right now, I don't feel like it would be right. All of his attention is on finding Kikyo right now, even though I said some noble things, I can't help but just be a teensy bit jealous after all...</em>
</p><p>InuYasha ran, bounding over hills and grass as quickly as he could after the Saimyosho, but it seemed they had all but dissipated.</p><p><em>Kikyo died because of Naraku! I can't let him take her again! </em>He thought with determination, before looking to the side of him to see Kikyo's soul catchers flying by. <em>Her soul catchers! That means she must be close by!</em></p><p>Miroku closed in behind him, "Watch up ahead, InuYasha!"</p><p>"Mist?!" He wondered aloud in confusion, as the soul catchers flew directly into it.</p><p>"This could be a trap. Everyone, don't let your guard down!" The monk shouted back, and they hardened their eyes on the swirling mist ahead. InuYasha leapt into the vortex, and floated down, looking around him in confusion, as the mist obscured his vision and he at last landed on solid ground.</p><p>"Kikyo!" He shouted, and heard a crackling din in the distance that grew in intensity as he walked closer, shielding his eyes from the smoke as his vision slowly adjusted. He looked behind him urgently and shouted, "Watch out everyone! I'll go on ahead!" Then paused, as the smoke cleared and he was able to see the burning remains of a small village before him.</p><p><em>A Village!? It's being attacked by something...?</em> He thought, confused as he suddenly heard shouts ringing out in the distance.</p><p>
  <em>"It's InuYasha!"</em>
  <em>"Let's get him!"</em>
  <em>"He's after the Shikon Jewel!"</em>
  <em>"He won't get away with attacking our village!"</em>
</p><p>The voices shouted angrily, and InuYasha looked around, panicked, then gasped as he felt something round clutched tightly in his hand.</p><p>
  <em>The...Shikon Jewel!</em>
</p><p>He gasped, staring at it in awed despair.</p><p>There was a twang on the air as he looked sharply to his left and an arrow flew by him, disintegrating strands of hair as it whipped past.</p><p>"InuYasha!" A familiar voice yelled out angrily, then the flames cleared and he saw Kikyo standing before him, the shoulder of her robe drenched in blood.</p><p>"Kikyo?!" He gasped, then it dawned on him.</p><p>
  <em>This is that day, 50 years ago... When Kikyo and I were tricked into thinking we had betrayed one another!</em>
  <em>Have I returned to that day?</em>
  <em>The day when Kikyo shot me!?</em>
</p><p>His body weight was sucked back, and a crushing weight hit him in the chest, pinning him to the tree with her arrow. Kikyo stumbled towards him, clutching her bleeding shoulder with a sorrowful look in her eyes.</p><p>"The Sacred Jewel... you would do all this, for such a thing...?"</p><p>She clutched the jewel to her chest and cried, "You betrayed me..."</p><p>
  <em>No! You're <strong>wrong</strong>, Kikyo! We were both caught in Naraku's trap! I didn't <strong>betray</strong> you!</em>
</p><p>"I was so foolish, that I could even think for a moment that I could spend my life with you..." She whispered, and InuYasha fell drowsy from her spell, lowering his eyelids as Kikyo embraced him.</p><p>"I won't.. let you die alone..." She said, clutching to him weakly as he felt her warm blood soaking into his clothing.</p><p>
  <em>Kikyo...followed me in death. I know now what it is I have to do, we must go together... To the Underworld where we belong.</em>
</p><p>The unconscious InuYasha is tangled in a web of wooden vines that leech his soul from him, latching onto the despair that the spell has brought out in him, from the darkest depths of his heart.</p><p>If InuYasha cannot escape, they will take his soul. The same will go for his friends, Shippo. Miroku. Sango. All victims of the Illusory death, lying contorted as the images of their most feared memories trap them in terrified limbo. Miroku, eaten by his wind tunnel. Sango, slaughtered by Kohaku. And Shippo, left all alone with nobody there to soothe his frightened cries.</p><p>
  <strong>~x•X•x~</strong>
</p><p>At the centre of The forest of Illusory Death, is a great magnolia tree, with Kikyo's many soul catchers circling and being repelled by the barrier around it's wide, tumored trunk that keeps them from tending to Kikyo. Her straight, black hair drapes over his arm as Naraku holds the sleeping Kikyo cradled in his arms.</p><p>"All easy prey for my Spell of Illusory Death. My my, how very frail human hearts are, indeed. <em>Sadness... Fear... Confusion...</em> If even <strong>one</strong> of these dark roots reaches down into the darkest reservoirs of horror I've sunken into this land, it's over." He said, slowly and with a soft grating voice that almost purred with its cruelty. His dark, empty eye sockets stared out as he spoke, with the beautiful priestess sleeping below.</p><p>"The darkness will rise in them. And consume their souls." He looked down to Kikyo and chuckled softly.</p><p>"Yes, Kikyo. Even your beloved InuYasha is quickly ensnared by the illusions. Only- that Kagome girl, as I expected... is impervious to my spell."</p><p>There was a low howling moan of the wind like a dying woman as it scraped and echoed through the trees, sending a chill down Kagome's spine.</p><p>"Guys...? Where'd you go?" She said softly, her voice trembling. She stepped forward and heard a crack as the twigs snapped beneath her feet, the vines curled back as in distaste of her touch.</p><p>"This is creepy... I swear these vine things are moving..." Kagome said nervously, as she looked back to see they were now all deathly still.</p><p><em>"Ahh!"</em> She yelped, as one wrapped around her ankle. She slashed wildly at the roots with her bow and they crawled back quickly.</p><p><em>She walks through my tangled roots... but not one of them is able to ensnare her at all! </em>Naraku thought bitterly, as he watched the girl through the cracks in the trees.</p><p><em>Yikes! It's Kikyo and Naraku!</em> Kagome's heart races, and she ducks behind a tree.</p><p><em>Now's my chance! Naraku mustn't know I'm here! </em>She pulls free an arrow from her quiver and aims it.</p><p><em>Please... hit! </em>The arrow whips through the air with a heavy twang of her bow string, and breaks through the barrier, dispelling it easily.</p><p>It strikes the baboon puppet directly in the chest, and Naraku's voice can be heard laughing softly.</p><p>"Good work...I knew that you would make it here by yourself." He said, with a knowing laugh before the puppet guise dissolves and all that is left is the wooden golem with Naraku's long black hair tied loosely around it.</p><p>"<em>Huh...?</em> What does he mean? Was this a trap?" She gasps, then feels the ground beneath her being to crack in large, jagged lines. Then it opens up beneath her and Kagome fell through, screaming.</p><p>
  <em>I cannot destroy her soul... but I <strong>can</strong> destroy the flesh that harbors it.</em>
</p><p>Kagome struggled to hang onto the edge of the chasm, her legs flailing to find grip as she kicked hopelessly.</p><p>"<em>Help! Someone help me, please!" </em>She cried, but it went unheard over the crackling of roots and the bubbling of a thick miasma at the base of the chasm ready to eat away at her flesh.</p><p>The soul catchers hissed and hit harder against the walls of the barrier, where Kikyo now lies alone in the bows of the magnolia tree.</p><p>
  <em>Noone is going to come. InuYasha and the other's souls have all been ensnared by my spell of illusory death. Soon, they will all be <strong>dead</strong>. There is no one left to rescue you, Kagome. <strong>Die</strong>.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Help! <strong>InuYasha</strong>!"</em>
</p><p>Kagome struggled to hold the cliffside, panicking as she looked down at the bubbling acid, then back up as a figure slowly approached in the distance. She managed to reach up and grab onto a root, attempting to climb up but as she pulled upwards, she was met with the apathetic visage of her former life, Kikyo.</p><p>"Kikyo?!" She shouted, confused by her appearance as the woman crouched down. Kikyo was simply watching her struggling, her hair loose from its ties as the wind howled through it. She held the golem puppet in her hand, then set it down beside her.</p><p>"He's using a golem puppet... Hn, how fun would it be for him to watch as well?" She sneered, before setting it down upright in the dirt. Kagome looked on in utter shock, as Kikyo smiled at her.</p><p>"But.. I thought you were paralyzed?" Kagome asked, foolishly.</p><p>"I could have moved whenever I wanted to. I was simply watching... I was curious to see what Naraku intended. It seems, he also sees you as nothing but a <em>nuisance</em>."</p><p><em><strong>Also</strong>?! Does that mean, Kikyo does too?</em> Kagome thought, her large eyes wide with wonder as they met with Kikyo's that narrowed cruelly upon the sight of her hideous reincarnation.</p><p>
  <strong>~x•X•x~</strong>
</p><p>The flames danced into embers, fluttering away into the dark of night.</p><p>
  <em>Kikyo... If I'd only... trusted you back then...Instead, I hated you... I didn't know that you followed me into death. I'm sorry.</em>
</p><p>InuYasha thought dreamily, as he sunk further and further into the illusion, his soul being lost little by little.</p><p>
  <em>There is nothing for me here now... I have nothing left to protect. Kikyo, let us go. To Hell, together. So that you won't have to be alone any longer... Goodbye, Kagome...</em>
</p><p>The illusion of Kikyo made by Naraku clutched him tightly to her chest and he held her, as she latched her lips onto his and his soul began to ooze from his body, in white orbs that hummed and floated, then sunk into the fake Kikyo, as his body began to wither and rot, and she pulled away from the husk of a person. The dead InuYasha became one with the tree as the roots tangled around him, then imploded and burned his rotted corpse into nothing.</p><p>Kikyo wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and smiled, as a trickle of blood leaked down her chin. She marvelled at her own hands as they slowly became tipped with claws, her dark brown eyes, golden yellow as she took his soul, as well as all the power held within it, then abandoned him at the scene, the shell of Kikyo walking back to her master to give him such a wonderful gift.</p><p>
  <strong>~x•X•x~</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>"Kikyo! You have to help me! Naraku has us all under his spell! We have to save the others!"</em>
</p><p>Kagome cried out, and Kikyo only laughed at her, as the cliffside crumbled, then Kagome began to fall. Kagome screamed, then Kikyo's soul catchers came up beneath her and caught her, wrapping around her ankles.</p><p>"Oh <em>thank goodness!</em> For a second there, I thought you were going to let me fall!" Kagome said, with a nervous chuckle, then watched helplessly as the insectoid like soul catcher clasped it's arms around the sacred jewel and tore it from her neck, then brought it back to Kikyo. Kikyo took it, clutching it to her chest.</p><p>"This is <strong>mine</strong>. You are not supposed to have it, foolish girl. It's your fault that the jewel is incomplete, and now all your friends are dying as their souls are being sucked from their bodies." Kikyo said hatefully, stepping back from the chasm.</p><p>"<strong>What?! </strong>You're going to let us all die now? But, you saved InuYasha before!" She shouted, now just as frightened as she was angry.</p><p>Kikyo chuckled, placing the jewel around her neck, as her eyes flickered crimson.</p><p>"I had to let InuYasha think that there was still a chance I cared for him before we took his soul; or else the spell wouldn't have worked. You saw how <em>easily</em> he would risk his life for mine over yours, didn't you, or are you truly that much of an idiot?"</p><p>Kagome began to cry, with large beads of moisture falling from her eyes, then the soul catchers protecting her from falling now turned to roots, and she cried out as they began to give way.</p><p><em>"InuYasha! Help! InuYasha, where are you?!" </em>She screamed, but there was no answer as Kikyo watched her with an amused expression.</p><p>"He isn't coming. His soul is now rotting in hell. But I'm sure you'll be seeing him soon, you can join him as he relives the day he betrayed me over and over for all eternity."</p><p>"But, Kikyo, that was all Naraku's plan to turn you two against each other, wasn't it?! You have to believe me!" Kagome screamed, her voice growing even more shrill.</p><p>"I know that. That is why I decided that I cannot keep living on, watching him playing an imaginary reenactment of the way our life was <em>supposed</em> to be. My soul no longer yearns to be with InuYasha. It will not, once I am <strong>free</strong> of you." She said viciously, and with that, the Sacred Jewel turned black on her chest, and the roots holding up Kagome dried up and shattered, and she fell helplessly into the miasma.</p><p>Kikyo watched, her crimson eyes aglow as the lilac hued liquid burbled, and red mixed with it as Kagome's hair fell away from her skull, her large sorrowful eyes melting away as she suffered a painful death, then her soul oozed out of her, and began rushing back into Kikyo, hitting her body back and forth as she regained her soul back at last.</p><p>Kagome's soul fought within for survival, as Kikyo fell back and writhed on the ground; her skin glowed red and black, then lavender and white as the souls battled within her body. Kikyo closed her eyes and squeezed them shut, feeling the burning feeling rising up in her once again.</p><p>She saw all the flashes of Kagome and InuYasha's memories together; all the times InuYasha had chased after her and left Kagome alone to weep, and that bitterness within Kagome's heart that envied Kikyo burst free in a wash of dark purple, flooding through her veins, all the way to her fingertips until Kikyo became still, and her skin paled, returning to its normal color, as the corrupted jewel melted into her chest and sunk in, making her eyes open up quickly as she felt a new surge of power rise within her.</p><p>Kikyo's eyes opened and they were pale lilac, with red at the center as she blinked with heavy lashes, and sat up, licking her now sharp, fanged teeth with a long, forked tongue. Her lips were slick and black, and as she reached to touch them, she noticed how her nails had elongated into long, red claws tipped with black. She flexed her fingers and purred, before standing up, and allowing a pair of wings to burst free from her back, as she took flight back to Naraku's castle.</p><p>
  <strong>~x•X•x~</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Rebirth and Reconciliation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The wind howled and made the shutters of the ancient castle clatter, as Naraku paced back and forth anxiously, waiting for Kikyo's return. He'd been allowed to at last see the demise of the irritating little miko, once Kikyo had allowed her to fall into the miasma, and her skin melted from her bones. His entire being felt alive with anticipation, as he knew Kikyo would return to him, and when she did, she may be different than before. She would be fully fleshed now, as her soul had returned to her completely, so would her life. No longer would she be just a clay doll, with cold flesh on the outside.</p><p>There was a scream, then a soft chuckle as his Kikyo doppelganger killed one of the guards outside the door. He looked over quickly and stilled, his illusory spell puppet had returned. InuYasha was dead. The doppelganger came through the door, her brown eyes flashing golden, with needle point pupils. He looked her over, assessing the changes that took place after absorbing InuYasha's youki.</p><p>"I come bearing gifts, Master. She said, and dropped her robe, the artificial guise of a priestess's attire. He looked over her pale body, musing as he trailed his eyes down the red markings that accented her hip bone, which jutted out from her flat belly. But this was not the real Kikyo, only a spell. More or less, a literal figment of his imagination spawned from a small piece of his hair, and hers.</p><p>"Good pet. Come here." He said softly, then parted his robe to expose the pale, smooth skin of his chest. The doppelganger came forward, hissing lowly in her belly, sniffing cautiously as he encircled her in his arms. Naraku felt the strong youki within the shell and grinned, as he absorbed the doppelganger, sucking her into his chest, then shuddering as he felt the newfound power rushing through his veins. "Ahh... The power of a half-demon... shall be just enough to make me whole.." He whispered, and spread his arms, becoming aglow with sparkling red light as the youki swirled around him, becoming accustomed to his new master.</p><p>He heard a clatter, then turned sharply as Kikyo slinked through the open window, closing it behind her. She licked her lips subtly, and as he stared at her in wonder, her eyes were crimson lilac as she purred, coming closer. The demon power at last acclimated with his own; settling within his skin. Naraku cringed, and bent over as his skin began to move and contort, his bones, breaking and rehealing as his entire composition became altered.</p><p>"Naraku... so it is true. You are infact, a half demon..." She stated, her pale hand to her chin as she watched with bated breath. Naraku's bones cracked, skin slithering over his flesh, his hands, clenching and unclenching as long claws grew, then retracted. He straightened, and his crimson eyes lit golden, then calmed. He sighed, shuddering as his body at last completed it's transformation.</p><p>"So, you saw through my spell, Kikyo. Is that what you wanted to know before...?" He whispered, his voice had a low growling quality as he watched her apprehensively, questioning her loyalty as she moved across the room gracefully, and stood before him. Something about her seemed... different, her energy, it was malevolent. Demonic energy, but she looked the same, as her eyes returned to chocolate brown. He sniffed, a new talent he'd aquired from InuYasha. He could smell her demonic aura, he noted, and narrowed his eyes on her curiously. Slashes formed below his eyes, the color teal, as he gained his demonic markings, and he stilled his breath as Kikyo moved forward, just barely grazing her fingertips over the markings, humming curiously.</p><p>"Yes, and my curiosity seems to grow ever more, you have the look of a certain... Inu-Hanyou..." She whispered, then retracted her hand quickly away as if stung. Kikyo backed away from him, and Naraku's eyes glowed ruby once again, making her sink to her knees.</p><p>"Does that... displease you?" He said in a hollow voice, and watched curiously as she writhed on the floor, heat burning through her veins as she screamed in agony, then the light faded and she lie still, sobbing softly.</p><p>"InuYasha is dead now, are you happy? He fell for your spell. Though my heart no longer yearns for him, I cannot stand to see his features carven into your cheeks." She whispered, and squeezed her eyes shut. Naraku sighed, and there was a rippling sound as he absorbed the markings back into his skin, turning back to his previous, pale, ethereal complexion.</p><p>He knelt on the floor beside her, and brushed the hair back from her wet cheek.</p><p>"You loved him. I... understand. How it feels to love someone you cannot have." He swallowed, and blinked at his own words. <em>Odd. Was that, sympathy...?</em> He hadn't felt that emotion in many an age.</p><p>Kikyo stayed silent, and covered her face with one hand, as if she were abhorred by his appearance.</p><p>"<em>Do</em> you...? Is that why you did what you did, for love? Do you understand, what love <em>is</em> Naraku, or is it only a lingering whisper of a demented desire to defile me?" She ground out, and her voice took on an inhuman quality as she pushed up off the floor, and sat before him, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand, a bitter grimace on her face. Naraku lowered his eyes to the floor, squeezing one hand into a fist.</p><p>
  <em>Onigumo... He loved Kikyo. Onigumo's greed was the entire reason I came into being. After I reabsorbed Muso, I realized I <strong>needed</strong> Onigumo's heart that still cares for Kikyo. Without it... I had no drive any longer. Without his scorned heart inside, I felt nothing. But, is it also a curse? To feel this pain deep in my heart, like a jagged knife when I see her face?</em>
</p><p>He turned away then, not wishing to answer her. Kikyo made a low, animalistic whine from behind him, and he rose one brow with interest. He felt an ache down in his belly he hadn't felt in some time, as he lowered one hand and placed it there.</p><p>
  <em>Curious. I have the need for solid sustanence. It's been so long since I felt it, I forgot what it was like to be...<strong>hungry</strong>. Now that Kikyo is whole once again too, perhaps she does as well.</em>
</p><p>Naraku clapped his hands once, summoning a servant immediately.</p><p>"Y-Yes, Lord Kagewaki..?" The servant said shakily, getting down on one bended knee.</p><p>"The Lady Kikyo and I require sustanence..." He looked back to her curiously, with a tiny smile. "The freshest food you can find. As well as spirits, we are celebrating a monumental occasion." He said, in a soft jovial tune, and the servant reared back at once, staring at him with widened eyes.</p><p>"You look at me as if I were some kind of mythical yokai creature, did you think I didn't <em>eat</em> like anyone else here?" Naraku snapped back, and the man shook his head vehemently, "No! No, My Lord, it's just... After your father's passing, I've not seen you eat nary a crumb of food, nor liquid, if I may... We were only growing concerned." He said, shaking, and Naraku nodded, feeling Kikyo's presence at his back.</p><p>"You have my thanks, but I am feeling much better now. Now, move along. I wish for the utmost privacy when I am entertaining the lady." He said, with a voice thinly veiled with a threat, and the servant nodded eagerly, and ran from the room. There was a soft chuckle, and Naraku turned quickly to see Kikyo smiling, for the first time in her resurrection, she was <em>smiling</em>. And it wasn't a smile of spite, it was a true smile, of happiness. Kikyo was<em> amused!</em></p><p>"What's so funny?" He sneered, finding it hard to show kindness still, even though her smile made a odd warmth in his chest.</p><p>"You, Naraku!" She giggled, doubling over with laughter. He growled at her, furrowing his brow.</p><p>"You must be famished, now that you've aquired all the qualities of a dog-demon, perhaps we should feed you kibbles and bits!" She laughed, feeling oddly giddy, where had that even come from?</p><p><em>Kibbles and Bits? </em>Naraku thought, angered, and went to burn her again, then paused, feeling perhaps he was too hasty to inflict violence on the woman he was trying to... woo. <em>Romance?</em></p><p>"Shut up!" He growled, and looked away. Kikyo quieted, and sat down on the floor beside him. She wrung her hands in her lap, feeling odd. The damn, stupid miko inside must be acting up now, making her say stupid things! Now Naraku is angry, after just showing her kindness for the first time.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Naraku." Kikyo said, tucking her long strands of hair behind her warm ear. Naraku twisted his mouth around, puzzled, then looked over and patted her thigh twice, awkwardly. Kikyo stiffened, having not being touched by him in such a way, ever. Was he.. feeling apologetic?</p><p>"It's alright. It was amusing, I suppose." He said softly, and looked to her.</p><p>"I've never heard such... beautiful laughter." He said, and smiled at her. Kikyo's eyes widened, surprised, and her cheeks reddened. She jumped in place, touching her cheek, feeling the heat of her blush, amazed. Naraku faced her, and took her hand in his, feeling the warmth, looking down at her palm, the veins that now pumped warm blood, and placed his other hand over it.</p><p>"It feels... odd, doesn't it? It's almost as if, we're both..." He paused, <em>human? </em>Is that how he was feeling? It had been so long since he resided in the body of Onigumo, it was difficult to remember how exactly that felt.</p><p>"Alive." Kikyo whispered, and stroked his hand. "I feel <em>alive</em> again. Free to love, free to hate. My soul, is so much freerer than it was then." She smiled, and clutched her hand around his, squeezing tightly.</p><p>"Yes. That's how I feel. Powerful. Whole. And yet, there's something awakening inside that I haven't felt for, many an age." Naraku said, and squeezed her hands back, feeling a jolt of something hit deep in his stomach. They both pulled back quickly, retracting their hands as the servants began bringing in a feast fit for a king and queen. Kikyo darted her eyes back at Naraku, and blushed.</p><p>
  <em>That <strong>stupid</strong> girl! Her love for InuYasha must still exist in my soul, and his soul is responding! How ridiculous! There is <strong>no</strong> way in <strong>hell</strong> I could feel like this towards Naraku!</em>
</p><p>The servants set a low table in the center of the room for them, and comfortable pillows for them to sit on as they served them. Naraku sat beside Kikyo, watching tensely as the servants placed the many plates and bowls of odd delicacies before them. The smell was so tantalizing, he licked his lips and his stomach growled, feeling glad once the servant left the room. He picked up the sticks he was given and furrowed his brow, then remembered. <em>Oh right, these are chopsticks. </em>He held them the proper way, and looked to see Kikyo doing the same, perusing the many items of food with an innocent light in her eyes.</p><p>"Go on, help yourself." He said, and watched as she speared a spring roll, and quickly popped it in her mouth. Kikyo felt the flavor immediately, and had to stifle her enthusiastic moan that threatened to come forth. She covered her mouth, sighing. Naraku did the same, picking up a piece of meat he sniffed it, then stuffed it in his mouth and nearly howled like a dog with his ecstasy. They looked at eachother with widened eyes, then back at the food, and didn't hesitate to fulfill the need they both had, enjoying all the flavors, and the full feeling of satisfaction as they finally fed their new bodies.</p><p>Later, the servants cleared away the empty dishes, and he and Kikyo shared a bottle of sake, taking small sips from the tiny saucers, feeling the light burning in their throats as they drank.</p><p>"That was very refreshing, thank you. Even as a mortal I don't think I've ever eaten so well." Kikyo said, feeling warm and relaxed, the hollow in her belly now sated, as she observed Naraku reclining on his side, propping his head up on his hand with a sideways smirk.</p><p>"With the power I have over others, I see</p><p>no reason to live any lesser, human minds are easy to persuade, it takes no less then the illusion that I am their Lord Kagewaki, and they serve me without question." He said, almost bragging as he took another long sip from his saucer.</p><p>Kikyo looked at him closely, feeling very curious. The guise he wore truly was appealing, as he made himself into the image of the young lord, with black locks, pale skin, but, what <em>was</em> his true form? Was it Onigumo, the burned man? A spider, hideous and deadly?</p><p>"I see. Naraku... have you ever wondered, what it would be like if we...never died?" She asked, stunned by her own bluntness. <em>It must be the sake</em>, she realized, and lowered the saucer. Naraku frowned, lowering his as well with a grimace.</p><p>"Die? I never died, Kikyo. I've lingered on for these 50 years since the demise that fell upon you and InuYasha, but if you're asking, do I wish I could have lived on as Onigumo...? <strong>No.</strong> It was pure hell, being trapped in that disgusting body, unable to... To have to <em>watch</em>, as you fell in love with InuYasha, and I was nothing but the burden that you bore." He spat coldly, turning his eyes from her. Kikyo frowned, feeling conflicted.</p><p>"Naraku, I... don't know what to say. I apologize. I was shallow, frightened, I was just a girl who was yearning to be free. And look what happened to me, I got my wish. To be an ordinary woman, to live, to love InuYasha. Then, my corpse had to be resurrected, with only a tiny sliver of that beautiful soul that I gave the miko. I wandered on, never truly living, only feeding on my hatred... It wasn't ideal. But, now... I feel reborn. I feel like a woman again, I feel I could spend the rest of my days happily now." She said, and her words softened the resentment Naraku felt as he eyed her, and moved slightly closer, pouring the both of them another serving.</p><p>"To new life. To our rebirth, Kikyo." He said, and they drank, looking at one another with newfound understanding.</p><p>
  <strong>~x•X•x~</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Conflict</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naraku had waited until all was still, once Kikyo had become lightheaded from the sake and asked to go lie down. He had a room prepared for her ahead of time that the servants took her to...with a bit <em>more</em> assistance than Kikyo had wanted. She kicked as they carried her, and complained that she wasn't <strong>drunk,</strong><em>'</em><em>a miko would <strong>never</strong> allow herself to become intoxicated', </em>she'd said, but Naraku had known better as he smirked into his sleeve. Surely, Kikyo had never drank more than one saucer of sake in her life, whereas he enjoyed it, perhaps too much, back when he was the mortal Onigumo.</p><p>He sighed, rubbing his face that was oddly moist with sweat, something he was still getting accustomed to, as he accidentaly rubbed away the lilac eye paint he wore with one hand. He called in a servant, and they brought him a hot basin of water. Naraku cleaned himself up with a steaming hot cloth, his robe slid down his back as he bathed, then Naraku paused, almost hesitantly, and he turned his head to look at his back, and grimaced. The spider mark glowed with InuYasha's red youki, like it was still smouldering.</p><p><em>No matter how many times I change flesh, the burn scar of the bandit Onigumo will <strong>still </strong>not leave my back...</em>He thought with disgust, he absolutely hated to see that hideous mark; to feel that lingering pain with each time it resurfaced on his new flesh. It was like a curse, he would be forever cursed to remember <em>why </em>the burn scar would never disappear. Why the woman in the other room still despised him; though the euphoria they felt tonight had been promising, he knew that once she got over her initial surprise, she would most likely leave him, and return to her temple to continue her priestly duties. But, he wondered, <em>could</em> she? Whatever had happened to Kikyo had given her a powerful demonic aura, but the reason why, she did not divulge. Naraku narrowed his eyes, and seethed with his anger as he poured the hot water down his back and watched his skin redden and welt up, gritting his teeth.</p><p>The darkness of night fell over the castle, as Naraku reached back and there was a terrible tearing sound, then his bellow of anguished agony. Kikyo sat straight up in bed, her heart racing wildly as she heard the sound. Her vision spun, as she reached around on the cool floor, searching for purchase as she got onto her knees, her body still swaying from intoxication. Kikyo was able to at last stand, her vision unstable as she struggled to see in the darkness, feeling her way down the cool corridor. She wasn't sure why her heart raced so quickly, she felt frantic as she at last came up on his bedroom, and felt for the sliding door.</p><p>Kikyo swallowed anxiously, her chocolate brown eyes lit up with the sparkling blue and red auras in the room, as Naraku sat still, staring out the open window, his back bared to her. She gasped and hid her shocked expression with one hand, as her eyes took in the sight of him, his skin torn wide open; the pink, blood weeping flesh of his back exposed to the cool air of night as he stared up at the moon, and closed his eyes. Kikyo was so shocked, and disgusted at all at once, she stepped back, ready to run away. But, something stopped her, and she hesitated, her hand resting on the cool paper, making a blurry shadow as she rested her forehead against the wall.</p><p><em>InuYasha. </em>A voice whispered, and she felt it shoot deep down into her heart and twist there, like a knife.</p><p><em>He's in pain. Kikyo, can't you feel him there? </em>Kagome whispered, and threatened to surface. Kikyo shook her head, biting her bottom lip as she gazed at the pale figure bathed in luminous moonlight. No matter how she looked at him, he was still Naraku. The man who had hurt her, and led her to her untimely death at only the age of eighteen; Kikyo was so young, and yet aged beyond her years with the wisdom of having been to the underworld and back, of having her life stolen from her, then her unwanted resurrection, which brought her back to the world of the living, and yet not... as she was then forced to watch as her soul was sucked away, her InuYasha replaced her with this 'Kagome', a cheap imitation, and to her, they were nothing alike.</p><p>Kikyo clenched her shaking fist, and fought against Kagome, backing away from the gory sight, she ran to the room given to her, and gathered up her meager belongings, before leaping out the window, and taking flight with her newly aquired wings. She darted away from sight, into a darkened forest, not wishing to be seen by Naraku, or InuYasha for that matter. Kikyo flew up into a tree, using her demon power aquired by the Shikon Jewel fragment, and rested on the thick bow of a tree, which was much more uncomfortable than the bed inside, but she had grown accustomed to sleeping in odd places as a wandering husk of a woman. She scooched herself back further into the dark shade of the tree, her crimson and lilac eyes glinting just barely from where he could see her, far away through the castle window.</p><p>Naraku sighed, and turned to look at his back again. It was there again, he saw, and pulled his robe back up around his shoulders to cover the hideous burn. He turned his cheek and blew out one of the candles lighting the room, then all was bathed in only pure moonlight. He felt something odd pulse through him, and looked at one hand curiously, flexing his fingers as long claws grew once again, with maroon stripes crawling up his arm. Naraku's eyes flashed golden, his hair, silvery black as he growled lowly to himself.</p><p>
  <em>She's all alone... Kikyo. Kagome. Go to her.</em>
</p><p>A sudden voice whispered, and Naraku gasped, digging his nails into his palm.</p><p><em>You <strong>dare</strong>? Do you know from where you're speaking, cur? Receed back inside my body. </em>Naraku threatened, moving the bloody tips of his claws, and watching, amazed as the blood glowed, and he felt a powerful sensation rushing through him.</p><p>
  <em>Blades of blood</em>
  <em>!</em>
</p><p>The voice hissed, and Naraku shook his hand to shake off the blood, and jolted upright when four red slashes flew through the air, and struck the wall, leaving jagged divots.</p><p>"What the...?" Naraku murmured, looking at his hand. Then he remembered, that time he had disguised himself as InuYasha all those years ago to steal the Shikon Jewel from Kikyo, he'd used that very attack.</p><p>
  <em>Asshole.</em>
</p><p>The voice whispered again, and Naraku growled at it, feeling the reverberations in his throat as he made the newly aquired animalistic sound.</p><p><em>"Shut <strong>up!" </strong></em>He snapped, then heard a chuckle from within. The power pulsed once again, how strong <em>was </em>this half-demon, strong enough to overtake Naraku's body?</p><p>
  <em>Go to her. Make sure she's safe. You have to. It's Kikyo. Kikyo and Kagome <strong>need</strong> us.</em>
</p><p>InuYasha urged from within, where he floated in darkness, only able to watch from inside through Naraku's eyes as he at last stood, staring out the window. Naraku smirked, and glared out the window, able to clearly see the shadow hiding there in the trees. The stubborn darkness inside of him crept up, ignoring InuYasha's protests, and he narrowed his eyes, alighting them ruby, and heard her hoarse cry as she felt her blood burning through her veins as punishment.</p><p>"Don't you dare tell me what to do, you lowly dog, or you can watch your beloved suffer." He whispered huskily, slamming the window shut, and turning away, wishing for nothing but privacy, although the disembodied soul inside raged, and the red youki sent tremors through Naraku as he simply sat, and drank a saucer of sake as if nothing were amiss, the whites of his eyes flashing red with rage, demonic markings appearing and disappearing on his cheeks as he resisted InuYasha's struggling.</p><p>
  <em>Kikyo! Kikyo!</em>
</p><p>"Why do you cry for one, but not the other?" Naraku sneered with a smirk, sipping.</p><p>
  <em>I care for both! But Kikyo, she's hurting... She may have killed Kagome, but only because <strong>you've</strong> corrupted her! She's gotta change back!</em>
</p><p>InuYasha shouted, but Naraku only silently shook his head back and forth, grinning with his sheer amusement.</p><p>"<strong>I </strong>did not corrupt her; I may have placed a small seed of malcontent, but Kikyo was the one who sprouted branches, and Kagome was the one who made her true self emerge. She is so beautifully defiled, so corrupt, and now with this gift, you can watch us become one." Naraku seethed, feeling the shudder of disgust from InuYasha pulse through him.</p><p>
  <em>You'll never be with her, over my dead body!</em>
</p><p>"Correction, you're already dead, but perhaps that could be arranged." He said slyly, tossing his head back, laughing.</p><p>InuYasha's soul seemed to recede, slumping down and admitting defeat, at least for now as Naraku chuckled softly with his satisfaction.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Lord and The Lost</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sesshomaru catches the scent of a terrible scene; he finds a frightened fox demon</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The acrid stench of decay permeated thehot summer air, as a white daubed figure could be distinguished behind the moving shadows of trees, the soft steps he made nearly indiscernible below the loud din of buzzing cicadas and flies. A small kappa demon at his back covered his nose with one sleeve as they approached, and made a loud gagging sound.</p><p>"What is that <em>terrible </em>smell? Must we go right into the belly of the stench, My Lord...?" Jaken groused, looking up as Sesshomaru paused, then cringed back in fear of his vengeful master.</p><p>They came across a patch of land that was completely barren, covered with overgrown roots that had dried up and died, as they crunched loudly underfoot.</p><p>"That's odd, these roots... " Jaken murmured, looking down as he walked, then stopped in place as Sesshomaru hopped up, and lept far away to avoid the roots, his long fur trailing behind him.</p><p>"Wait up!" Jaken yelled, and scrambled across the roots, which clattered almost like bones as he ran, panting from the sweltering heat.</p><p>Sesshomaru landed, softly settling onto a barren patch of land, whereas the rest was drenched in blood. Jaken fell forward, and nearly touched noses with the gooey substance, which had become tacky where it laid.</p><p>"Blood! Human blood!" Jaken gasped, and struggled to stand, using his staff of two heads, he got his bearings, and looked all around himself warily. Sesshomaru moved swiftly, and spotted the source, a man and woman entangled in the roots, where as he knocked away the dried roots, the man's hand fell, where it lied open, the prayer beads around it seeming oddly placed. Jaken came forth and poked at him with his staff, then snorted.</p><p>"A young monk and female demon slayer, dead. What killed them?" He wondered, as he poked at the female. "Pretty girl, too. Such a shame." He mused, and paused when he felt a cold air at his back, and tensed.</p><p>He backed away from the bodies as his master moved forward, and glared down at them a moment, blinking as he examined the wounds with his eyes.</p><p>The odd thing was, that there seemed to be no aggressor; it didn't seem that they'd fought eachother, but instead, succumbed to the roots. He followed the pattern of the roots, to where, as he gazed he found a startling sight; enough for him to take a sharp intake of breath. The roots crawled up, and up until they curled around a tree, which was much like the tree where InuYasha had been trapped for 50 years, but now... he had become one with the roots.</p><p>"It's the young Lord InuYasha! Your half-demon brother!" Jaken gasped, and quickly ran towards the scene, but not before Sesshomaru could make it, and stand before InuYasha. Jaken fell back from the force of his master's landing, watching anxiously as Sesshomaru stepped forward, then pulled away a few vines, revealing the hilt of the tetsusaiga.</p><p>"Your father's sword! The brat never even took it out to defend himself!" Jaken gasped, and Sesshomaru's eyes widened, <em>What could have possibly prevented him from unsheathing his sword to defend himself...?!</em> Sesshomaru moved quickly to take the sword, but Jaken stopped him.</p><p>"Wait, Lord Sesshomaru! Here!" He yelled, and ran over to the two human corpses, pulling away the heavy indigo robe of the monk, where it wasn't drenched in blood. Jaken held out the robe, and Sesshomaru took the blade and it's scabbard quickly, and dropped it onto the fabric before it could burn through his palm like before. The little imp wrapped it, and offered it to his lord, but Sesshomaru didn't take it.</p><p>"Here! Surely, we can find you a new arm, so that you may wield it!"</p><p>Sesshomaru nodded once, somberly, then looked up at InuYasha's face, and reached out to touch it.</p><p>"Don't! Don't touch that filthy mutt's corpse!" He cried out, and it was too late, once his long fingers touched just barely, InuYasha's body crumbled into what looked like dirt; moist and red. Sesshomaru rubbed the substance between two fingers, and sniffed.</p><p>"Clay... grave soil." He muttered, then receded backward, looking back down at the roots, and the bodies of the dead companions.</p><p>"What does this all mean, My Lord...?" Jaken asked curiously, as Sesshomaru sighed, flicking the dirt from his fingers.</p><p>"Their souls were absorbed, Jaken. Neither InuYasha's soul, nor body reside here any longer... Something has <strong>taken</strong> them." He said, but Jaken felt a small shiver, for whatever had killed InuYasha, had taken away Sesshomaru's opportunity. He sensed a spike in anger, as Sesshomaru moved quickly to walk across the wasteland, then paused, as the nearby bushes shook. Jaken jumped in his skin, nearly dropping tetsusaiga as he ran into Sesshomaru's leg. There was another rustle, then a pop, as a large, pink bubble floated up in mid air, wobbling as it began to moan and cry threateningly.</p><p>"Get baaaack, get baaack! I'll eeeaaat you!"</p><p>It growled, not before Sesshomaru gently poked it with one poison claw, and the ball shrank back, wailing loudly as it sputtered and deflated as it flew up into the air like a balloon rapidly losing air. A smoke cloud poofed, and a small kitsune child fell from the air, and landed, before scattering back in fear of the tall Inu-Yokai towering over him. The beautiful, white haired demon man's vast height was only overshadowed by the calm, yet threatening gaze in his yellow eyes, with slit pupils like InuYasha.</p><p>"I-I-I'm warning you! L-Leave this place, and never return!" Shippo whimpered, and attempted to throw his spinning top, which was easily batted away by Sesshomaru before it could even enlarge. Shippo scattered back in fear, tears budding in his eyes as he attempted to appear fearsome.</p><p>"Enough. Tell me, what happened here?" The odd man intoned with a silky baritone voice, just flexing his powerful fingers was enough to put Shippo into submission.</p><p>"You aren't- f-friends with Naraku, right?" He queried, shaking.</p><p>"Naraku...?" Sesshomaru mused, narrowing his eyes.</p><p>"Uh-huh... he's this awful demon! He lured me and all my friends into this trap, him and Kikyo, then they k-killed them all!" He wailed, his eyes overflowing with tears. Jaken stepped forth as his master was silent, leaning on his staff as he eyed the little demon. He felt a small tinge of pity, <em>Why</em><em>, that beautiful girl, and InuYasha seemed quite strong before, when he cut off Lord Sesshomaru's arm! This does not bode well.</em></p><p>Jaken took pause, as Sesshomaru tilted his head back to the air, and shivered. <em>He's caught the scent, of whatever that <strong>thing</strong>, Naraku is... </em>Sesshomaru moved swiftly, and lept up levels in the rock, until he reached the cavern where Kagome had fallen, and Kikyo had let her. Jaken ran, the little fox demon in tow, as they came up the hill, panting once finally caught up, and saw Sesshomaru squatting down to pick up the demon puppet, with two long, black strands of hair wrapped loosely around it. It dissolved in his hand, but he had more than enough to go off, as he stared down into the bubbling miasma, where as a bubble popped, a white skull surfaced, and bobbed there.</p><p>"She fell down <em>there</em>, eh? Eugh. That's most certainly an unpleasant way to die.." Jaken shuddered.</p><p>"Oh, Kagome!" Shippo cried, picking up her broken bow and arrow, and holding it to his chest as he sobbed. Sesshomaru straightened, readying himself to leave, then felt the odd throb of the tenseiga at his hip. It sang, calling to him, as he reached one hand over it, and hesitated.</p><p><em>What could tensaiga possibly want? All of these mortals are long dead. </em>He pulled out the blade, and looked down into the miasma, and saw the demon messengers from the world beyond, gathering up the girl's bones, bundling them up with chains, and putting them on their backs.</p><p>"My Lord? What do you plan to do..?" Jaken asked, puzzled.</p><p>
  <em>I've never seen Lord Sesshomaru actually <strong>use</strong> his blade, but why? What can he do with it?</em>
</p><p>"Nothing, this blade does not cut." He said, frowning as the messengers disappeared, along with the remains of the girl. Jaken eyed him, and gasped, as he saw a frown on his master's pale visage, and wondered, <em>Does the lord <strong>feel</strong> pity...? Or simply, he is dissatisfied that he was unable to be the one to kill InuYasha?</em></p><p>He then sheathed the sword, and began to turn away, when he took notice of the incessant sobbing that had been going on in the background.</p><p>"You, kit. Where's your kin?" He demanded, and Shippo's crying grew even louder, until Jaken struck him over the head with his staff, and the boy was stunned into silence, a red bubble forming in his red hair.</p><p>"-sniff- They're all dead too... I'm all alone.." He murmured, blinking hard to try and stop the tears.</p><p>"...There may be a kitsune tribe somewhere where I'm headed. Jaken. Watch he doesn't fall behind." Sesshomaru said quickly, before looking up, as Ah-Un lowered, and sent Shippo scampering back in fear.</p><p>"Hop on, kit! Hold on tight!" Jaken said, and pushed him up onto the two-headed demon steed, taking a seat as well, as Sesshomaru flew up ahead.</p><p><em>Well, my lord certainly is acting <strong>strange</strong> these days... can't say I blame him though, what with all the odd things going on! </em>Jaken thought, and sighed, looking over at the small fox demon huddled in a frightened ball. "I j-just can't believe it's all over now, and they're all g-gone... " He whimpered, and Jaken groaned, looking up at the sky as it seemed to have dark storm clouds rolling in, that encompassed most of the horizon.</p><p>"It'll be fine, hush." Jaken snapped, and Shippo stiffened, shivering from his shock, as the imp relented, and simply ignored his cries.</p><p>
  <em>I just hope that whatever got InuYasha, doesn't have a chance against Sesshomaru.</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey! I didn't think Sesshomaru would make an appearance, but yay! And Shippo lives! :) Do you all like these short chapters? Please let me know in the reviews what you think about this chapter</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. No Love Lost</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dawn came with a heavy stillness that weighed down upon the curled form on the ground, as Kikyo began to gently stir. A pale hand came to her chest, where she clutched it painfully, remembering the burning ache that still lingered from Naraku.</p><p><em>I shall relieve the burning within your veins.</em> He had promised this, and yet, he had only burned her once again, punishing her mercilessly. Kikyo grunted, getting up onto her knees from the mossy sod where she had slept the night before.</p><p>Kikyo reached for her long bow, using it to aid herself in standing. She felt an odd sensation in her chest as she looked down, and saw the black malignancy inside swarming, then trickling back into her veins. The malignant forces inside of her were relieving her pain and making her unnaturally strong, but not strong enough to resist Naraku, it seemed.</p><p>She found it odd he had not come after her, and when she turned, she saw only lush, green forest around her. The castle, as it would seem, had completely vanished, leaving her there. Where it had sat, the ground was black, and barren. The sky had now returned to it's natural state, becoming dusky grey, with the first rays of sunlight making red gashes in the clouds.</p><p><em>Am I... free</em><em>? </em>Kikyo wondered, stepping out into the clearing and looking all around. There was nothing, no sign of Naraku's path, the castle seemed but an illusion now, drawn back into the rolling black storm clouds that travelled wherever Naraku appeared.</p><p><em>"Thank you.." </em>She whispered, and stared at the horizon as the sun slowly began to rise, her long black hair moving, and dancing with the cool dewy breeze.</p><p>Kikyo moved her arms out, allowing her robe to flutter on the breeze, before lowering her face, and turning away from the direction where she could faintly sense he had gone. She didn't wish to follow him, and he was telling her, she didn't have to, but as she walked, she felt a slight pull from within, as Kagome yearned to run in the other direction, after InuYasha. Kikyo grimaced, and forced herself forward with her bow, gritting her teeth. <em>InuYasha... InuYasha needs help.. Kikyo... He's trapped inside Naraku! </em>Kagome's mournful voice cried from within, but Kikyo only bared her teeth and growled at the sound, her pupils lengthening with her anger, lilac blooming into red. "Shut up, girl!" She snarled, shaking her head, burying her hands into her long black strands.</p><p>"I <em>killed</em> you, you <strong>have</strong> no more body! And soon, you will be gone from me! I will make your soul <em>be QUIET!"</em> Kikyo hissed at her, her fangs showing, making Kagome recede back for the moment.</p><p>"I'm sorry." The girl made a small, pitiful peep back, and Kikyo huffed, shaking off the annoyance rattling around in her brain, as the sun rose, bathing her back with red luminescence, as she closed her scarlet lidded eyes, and made a feline chattering as her back arched, and her black, whiplike tail ripped from her garments, the forked prong at the end, slicing through the air, as her wings tore free, and she quickly took flight, stirring up the maple leaves, and flying quickly over the forest, a flash of black and red.</p><p>
  <em>No-one shall have influence over my soul! Now that I have regained my spirit, I shall do with it, what <strong>I Desire!</strong></em>
</p><hr/><p>Travelling with the Lord of The Western lands, was as expected; a long and arduous journey for a small kitsune fox boy, as Shippo found, and one that didn't allow for rest stops! As far as he knew, the daiyoukai <em>didn't</em> sleep! He had slept fitfully, bouncing on the back of Ah-Un's saddle, as he could just barely discern the blur of white, as Sesshomaru lept from rock to rock, and as he drifted off, he could have sworn he saw him levitating atop a sparkling, red, nimbus cloud of sorts, but that had to be just a fantasy. The little kitsune had seen fox fire, sure, but was there such a thing as... <em>dog </em>fire?</p><p>"You, little one! Wake up!" Jaken snapped, nudging Shippo from where he slept on Ah-Un's saddle. Shippo came out of his childish thoughts, rubbing his ginger mane. "We stopped?" Shippo proclaimed, hopeful, but not seeing Sesshomaru anywhere.</p><p>"Yes, M'lord has gone ahead to scope out the area."</p><p>Shippo's tiny nose twitched, and he looked around for the source of a tempting aroma.</p><p>"Huh? What smells good?" Shippo questioned, still rubbing the sleepiness out of his bright green eyes.</p><p>"Your breakfast!" Jaken huffed, his large yellow eyes narrowing as he turned, and walked towards the dying coals of a fire, where a cooked rabbit was roasted on a stick.</p><p>"I woke up to <em>this</em> on my lap this morning, which was quite <strong>unpleasant</strong>, you know! I at least had the decency to <em>cook</em> it, though." The imp growled, picking up the stick and thrusting it towards Shippo.</p><p>"Thanks!" He chirped, then licked his lips eagerly, and took it. Shippo chewed for a moment, gulping it down as if he hadn't eaten in days.</p><p>"Well, my pack typically ate meat raw, but this is just as good. I'm sick of fish!" Shippo spat, then seemed melancholy as he remembered how Kagome used to cook him said fish.</p><p><em>" </em>Be grateful, brat! <em>I've</em> never recieved such kind treatment from M'lord, and I've been his faithful servant for many years! <em>Lord Sesshomaru m</em><em>ay as well be a <strong>cat</strong> demon, for his aloof attitude, and this nasty little 'gift'!" </em>Jaken snorted under his breath, making Shippo's eyes widen from over the meat.</p><p><em>" You should know, Lord Sesshomaru is <strong>highly</strong> dangerous! You'd be wise not to get on his bad side!" </em>Jaken whispered sharply, then Shippo jumped as a rock flew at the demon's head, knocking him out cold for a moment.</p><p>"I <strong>heard</strong> that, Jaken." Sesshomaru said, as he came over the ridge. Jaken got up quickly, and immediately took to grovelling at his feet.</p><p>"I apologize! M'lord, what have you seen over the lands?"</p><p>Sesshomaru mused on this, looking back a moment at the dark thunderheads off far in the distance.</p><p>"He is traveling quickly. Why, I do not know." He said, and perched deftly on a rock. Jaken looked out over towards the sky, and tried to squint to see Naraku's castle.</p><p>"A travelling castle? How is such a thing even possible?" He snorted, shaking his head as he plopped back on the ground. Shippo nibbled the last remnants of the rabbit off the spit, then set it in the fire, receding back with his small hands on his lap.</p><p>"W-well, from what I know... This Naraku, he cannot be killed. InuYasha cut his head clean off, and he survived. He was able to rebuild his body using a Fuko spell." He said anxiously, putting together the knowledge he had gathered in order to attempt to help in whatever way he could.</p><p>"Fuko... poison magic. So he is a master of the Kodoku technique. Coalescing pitiful masses of lowly demons to feed his body." Sesshomaru scowled, feeling disgusted. He flexed his claws, and stood quickly. "We're moving." He stated curtly, and returned his chase after the castle. Jaken huffed, his shoulders slumped. Shippo looked on in wonder, as the imp motioned for him to get up, pulling on Ah-Un's reigns to move the beast as well.</p><p>"It may be a few days journey, I'm afraid." Jaken stated, and hefted Shippo up onto the saddle once again.</p><hr/><p>The malignant miasma in the air left in it's path, desolation and death wherever Naraku's castle laid waste upon the forest, until at last it came to a slow, hidden within the masses of storm clouds. It settled at last, atop a vast field of flowers, which withered upon the settling of the massive structure. The barrier that kept it afloat, suddenly broke apart, disintegrating. Miasma rushed out from the broken barrier, and spilled out across the blackened grass, making it curl, killing anything it touched.</p><p>Through the barred windows, it was dim within the castle, but what could be seen was an unsettling sight. Blood was spilt across the floorboards, mangled limbs and prone bodies of the retainers who had once served Kagewaki lie mutilated. A curled form struggled on the floor, behind a curtain of black tendrils, Naraku's pale skin stretched and strained, pushing and struggling to force out InuYasha. The half-demon's face could be seen, as if gasping for his breath beneath a wall of flesh, before being quickly sucked back up. Naraku seethed out his agony and frustration, his fingers making divots in he floorboards.</p><p>"This new body is now no good! The half-demon has only served to weaken me, but I cannot seem to separate myself from him, his youkai is intertwined with his spirit, and I cannot take his youkai, without also sucking in his pitiful human half, the half that also ... loves Kikyo!"</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Doesn't feel good, eh? Having someone's claws clutching your heart? I won't let go until you're dead. Just try and push me out.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>"You aren't very wise, InuYasha. What's to say I won't slaughter your precious Kikyo right before your eyes?" Naraku sneered, clutching his chest, an agonized expression twisting his regal features.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Because she is also precious to </em>
  </strong>
  <strong>
    <em>you</em>
  </strong>
  <strong>
    <em>, Naraku. I know of all your treachery to try and pit her and I against eachother so that you could have her all to yourself.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>InuYasha's voice whispered back, and Naraku snickered lowly, "My, my, aren't we the insightful one. You forget, Kikyo is still connected to me with the corrupted shard buried deep in her bosom, sealed with a kiss. I <em>can</em> hurt her, I can <strong>kill</strong> her if I so choose, and you cannot stop me." Naraku seethed, and then his eyes glowed red, making Kikyo suffer from where he was.</p><p><strong><em>No! Stop it, Naraku! </em></strong>InuYasha screamed, desperately pushing against the barriers of Naraku's fathomless abyss, as Naraku chuckled, giddy by the power this gave him over InuYasha, momentarily forgetting how this hurt Kikyo in his sadistic elation. Some small voice in him cried out as well, making InuYasha turn sharply in the darkness.</p><p><strong><em>Whose there?! </em></strong>He questioned, the the hairs on the back of his neck prickling from the dark entity hidden in the chambers of Naraku's blackened heart, trapped within the wall.</p><p><strong><em>I am... I have always been here... InuYasha. </em></strong>The voice said softly, curling with Naraku's shared enmity for InuYasha.</p><p>"Be quiet!" Naraku snarled, and plunged his fingers into his own chest, making InuYasha's soul leap back, as the bloody claws scraped around inside the chamber, missing him and the other, before pulling back, the hole quickly closing.</p><p>Naraku pulled his bloody fingers out of his chest, covered with dark ichor, and laughed shakedly, violently whipping the blood from his fingers. Blades of blood flew out, and slashed the privacy byōbu surrounding him, making a red gash in the grey cloth covered in black and red maple leaves.</p><p>Naraku stared through the gash, his crimson eyes becoming solemn as he stared through the opening, towards the window, where the blinds rattled from the thunder still crashing outside. Naraku inhaled sharply, closing his eyes, and the thunder stopped as an image, brightly lit, appeared in his mind.</p><p><em><strong>Kikyo</strong>. </em>The three voices of his conciousness spoke at once, as an image of Kikyo appeared. Naraku's brows creased in the center, as the images played out before him.</p><p>The image of Kikyo, lit by soft candlelight, as she carefully tended to Onigumo's wounds, a small smile on her face as she worked. Onigumo took a rattling breath, hissing as she dabbed ointment onto his scar tissue.</p><p><em>"How can you smile, when you look at me...? You are so... pretty. I'm disgusting... my wounds, no matter how well you tend to them, I am slowly rotting. You need not care for me, leave me be." </em>He whispered, and Kikyo reached for the bowl of ointment, dipping her long fingers in, and swirling the substance around his bared chest, the exposed tissue grown brown at the very edges like spoiled meat, perhaps still good to eat... But no longer sweet.</p><p><em>"I smile, because today is another day. Can you hear the birds outside, Onigumo...? Don't you hear the lovely songs they make?" </em>She said softly, and he listened, a tear rolling down his raw flesh, from his bulbous eye where the outer flesh had been melted away.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>I came to love her, kind Kikyo...</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>I lay like that, many days. She had always come back for me, her and the little girl. If not her, then the little girl. Then, just the little girl... And how I wished to wring her spiteful neck.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>She wasn't coming back.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>...<strong><em>Lady Kikyo. When will she come back for me? </em></strong>A hollow voice rattled, as the wounded bandit in the cave struggled to see out to the bright sunny world beyond the limits of his convalescing place, his deathbed.</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>She won't come back. She's left with InuYasha. She loves... the half-demon boy.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Naraku felt a deep hurt within his body, where the hole in his chest still leaked with his miasma, the poison mingled with blood. It stuttered to close, quivering as his three consciousnesses were now aware of this pain, and sharing in it.</p><p><strong><em>No... It wasn't like that! Kikyo wouldn't abandon anyone. She did come to care for me, very much. But Kikyo cared for everyone. </em></strong>InuYasha sighed with resignation, responding to the disembodied voice. <strong><em>She may have loved me, and I her... But Kikyo was never truly all mine to claim. She was dedicated to her work, to the point of exhaustion. I'm sure it took a toll on her, in those last few months, she took comfort in my presence, and I... her. I simply didn't want to be away from Kikyo. She was the first human, who looked at me like I was any other person.</em></strong></p><p>InuYasha whispered softly, looking back at his memories. Flashes of a happier time flashed through Naraku's mind, of the precious time when Kikyo and InuYasha were in love. Cherry blossoms falling, wind sweeping her raven hair up in the breeze, as she laughed, and looked up at InuYasha, perched in a tree. Heavy snowflakes cascading down, as snow covers the roofs of all the huts in the village. Kikyo walks past, snowy shoulders kept warm with hay, InuYasha still watching her. Sunset setting on still waters, as a red daubed figure stands on the docks. Kikyo steps off the boat, and looses her footing, falling into him. She looks up, her dark brown eyes meetng amber pools like honey. InuYasha embraces her tightly.</p><p><strong><em>Yes... I loved her. </em></strong>InuYasha sighs, and Naraku is silent, sweat dripping from his temples, as his pupils are expanded, looking to somewhere far off in the distance. At last, he is alone in his thoughts once again, dipping his head down to his chest, and laughing softly.</p><p>"I now know what to do... I thank you." He said, grinning, and stood, as the blood grew cold on the floorboards.</p><p>"If I cannot kill either of you, I will find a way to be rid of you, one way or another. I will not be victim to those who allow the pathetic trappings of the human heart to control them. I, Naraku, do not love Kikyo. " He seethed, and his eyes grew red once again, as one hand flew up to his chest, and a splatter was heard, beads of blood pelting the decorative byōbu screen.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Remember Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A/N: I apologize for my long absence. I'm back now with a new chapter and hopefully I can update more often from here. A reminder: Though we started at Episode 32, from that point on this is my own original story only loosely based on the canon storytelling. So, where Kagura and Kanna would have already existed, I have decided for now they will be kept out of the story unless I deem their "birth" necessary. I'm also omitting the character Koga, seeing as Kagome and InuYasha are sort of 'absent', and can't interact with him , he has little purpose here. If people truly do miss these characters, let me know, and perhaps i can squeeze a cameo in. But for now, I have chosen to cut out their storylines because this is a Narkik story and not a retelling of the whole of InuYasha, though we love it! I'm so sorry if this is sad to hear! Just read and find out for yourself what I decided should happen!</p><p> </p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>~x•X•x~</strong>
</p><p>A large roaring bonfire, giving off black smoke with bright embers laced throughout its billowing filth crackles at the center of a ruined village. The broken boards from huts are intermingled with the limbs of the dead villagers, which snap and pops as the skin crackles, and melted fat seeps out and stokes the fire even furthermore. What appears to be a rogue group of bandits, mixed with demons is sat there, eating. The bandit leader takes a leg of meat from the pile, and tears a strip of blackened flesh right from it with his teeth. Chuckling as he chews through the gristle, the surrounding onis and corrupt men share in the feast, making unsettling crunches into the flesh and bone of their victims barbecued in the remnants of their village. A small mewling sound can be heard from within a burlap sack, where something is shivering so violently with hunger, the bag can be seen shaking.</p><p><em>"Shut up!"</em> One of the onis grunts, and beats the bag with his kanabo stick, making the small creature inside make pained grunts as it's mercilessly beaten within an inch of death.</p><p>"Tenderizing' the meat, Gurtham?" One of the human men snickers, watching the oni beat it, licking his lips.</p><p>"All the more mushy to eat," He grunted back, then picked up the sack with his long horns, shook it around, then dropped the small thing back onto the ground. The other hulking oni growled, and grabbed for it, and for a moment, the two grappled, growling, tangling violently with sharp horns, rolling across the blood sodden ground; fighting over the little struggling thing in the sack. All the bandits and lesser demons laughed, until the leader stood up and shouted, waving the human leg he had been gnawing on that was now chewed down to the bone.</p><p>"<strong>Enough</strong>! Gurtham, Ognard, let the skinny little bitch go!" He growled, hitting one of them over the back with the leg, as the poor victim in the sack began screaming out in pain, being pulled back and forth viciously until her poor limbs were surely stretching.</p><p>"We're to bring her to Master Naraku! Surely the Lord of the castle will appreciate us feeding him such a delicious meal, and virgin meat is even better!" The cannibal bandit shouted, and the two onis dropped the girl in the sack, not caring as she made another pained yelp as she dropped.</p><p>"... That may be true, but now the little bitch is all bruised up, Boss. P'raps he wouldn't <em>want</em> er' anymore once we've all had her..." Ognard growled, bowing his head submissively as he made a rattling growl deep in his barrel shaped, red chest.</p><p>"Don't <strong>touch</strong> her, got that? Or else, he'll have both your heads!" Yakatsue retorted back, then turned and returned to gnawing on his meal.</p><p>The onis grumbled, sitting their hulking forms back down as they stared down at the bandit troupe, veiny yellow eyes wandering as they perused which of their fellow men would taste best.</p><p>"If you're that hungry, go on and fetch some live meat, why don't you?" Yakatsue relented, and the two beasts nodded eagerly.</p><p>"Yes, Boss," Gurtham obliged, and the two walked off, chortling and snickering eagerly as they did.</p><p>" 'Live meat', he says, why don't we eat <strong>him</strong> whole and leave nothing but the feet?" Ognard rasped, and the other agreed, as they walked through the tall grass, and came to a deep crack in the earth, where a purple luminescence was radiating, lighting up their bulbous eyes. The large lump of veiny flesh throbbed, and tempted them with it's helplessness; a juicy looking lump of flesh, fresh for the taking. The onis licked their fat lips, and hopped down fearlessly into the abyss, landing on either side of the thing.</p><p>"What is it, you thinks?" Gurtham questioned, and the other poked at it with his sword.</p><p>"Methinks it looks delicious, it's a type of cocoon where inside a treat hides!" Ognard said giddily, wagging his steer-like brush ended tail, and began slicing open the purple wrapping, revealing pale flesh. Then, as he went to poke at the being, an arm shot out, and grasped the sword, pulling hard on it.</p><p>"A hand!" The oni gasped, and struggled against its strength, it pulled itself out of it's flesh cocoon, and stole the sword away from Ognard, and slayed him with a deadly slash across his third eye. The beast shrieked, clawing at his face as he was rendered sightless. Gurtham growled, and charged for it, but the man knocked his kanabo away, and stabbed him through the heart. Dead, the oni slumped from the blade, and the man was revealed to the moonlight.</p><p>The naked man stepped fully out of the flesh encasement, and lifted a head of long, shaggy black hair, then began walking towards the large fire, a spider mark clearly burned into the skin of his back.</p><p>"Say, boss, what village should be hit next?" The grovelling, ugly little green man besides him asks as he nibbles on the finger he's holding, and Yakutsue chuckles, tossing the stripped limb into the fire.</p><p>"Some place with lots of women, and sake!" He growls enthusiastically, and all the others laugh. A rustling in the grass is heard, and they pause laughing to listen.</p><p>"Shh, what's that?" One demon hisses, and a man answers, standing up bravely, and strolling over to the source of the sound.</p><p>"Say, Gurtham! We ate the little bitch you wanted!" He teased, then there was a flash of some dark tendrils reaching out, and sharp vines protruded out of his back, as he was slowly lifted.</p><p>The bandit spit up blood from his lips as he gurgled, then screamed as his face was carefully peeled away with the sharp pincers that had grabbed him.</p><p>"A face! I need a face!" The faceless man cried out, then dropped him, dangling the face on his claw as the others receded back inside him, looking at it inquisitively.</p><p>"Is <em>this</em> a nice face?" He questioned, then snapped back with irritation as the leader Yakatsu caught his attention, the others yelling, swinging their blades at him. The faceless man twisted around quickly, and began attacking them with incredible speed, blood splashing up into the air, as a frightened face peered out of the burlap sack, and the girl quivered.</p><p>Bodies dropped all around the man creature, and then there was a terrible peeling sound, as the tiny child held her dirty hands over her mouth, and receded back deeper into the bag, making herself as silent as possible while the faceless man removed the faces of the bandits one, by one…</p><p>
  <strong>~x•X•x~</strong>
</p><p>It was early dawn by the time she had reached her destination. Kikyo landed aways from the temple grounds, and hid behind a tree, watching the mikos and priests as they did their individual duties. Looking down at herself, she realized her clothes were tattered and covered in dirt, and stripped them away, coming up silently behind a shrine maiden, and quickly breaking her neck.</p><p>The girl dropped, and Kikyo paused, staring down at her a moment, licking her lips. She wasn't sure why she felt so hungry for human meat, but she almost couldn't refuse it.</p><p><em>No, Kikyo! Don't eat her! Please!</em> Kagome cried desperately, and Kikyo paused, realizing what she had been thinking about doing, she shook her head.</p><p>"I wasn't <em>planning</em> to!" She scoffed back, she most certainly wouldn't go so far as to eat the corpse to defy her, she may have been influenced by some malignant forces in the jewel, but she wasn't a cannibal.</p><p>The bare skinned demon priestess knelt down, and removed the other's garments carefully, before slinking off towards the back of the shrine, finding the hot springs high up in the mountains it was built against. Kikyo eagerly got in, leaving the stolen robes on the bank. She slipped her porcelain white curves into the water, long legs receding as she hissed with pleasure.</p><p>It was a welcome relief to at last bathe, and so Kikyo contented herself by combing her fingers through her wet hair as she rested; feeling relaxed by the steam, the heat working out the tension in her back where her wings and tail were curled inwards, the fragment of the sacred jewel at the center of her breasts, still shining a dull purple laced with smoky rings of black. Kikyo hummed to herself, her eyes closed as she rubbed her face clean, then leaned back into the water and relaxed.</p><p>She did not think much on how she'd killed the shrine priestess on her way in, but the annoyance Kagome was inside her, screaming at her angrily as she tried to relax.</p><p>
  <em>How could you? That girl was just like you! You're evil, Kikyo!</em>
</p><p>Kikyo laughed, and twirled a long strand of black hair around her fingers.</p><p>"Silly girl, you think I care?" She purred, and crossed her legs in the water, her shiny black toenails peeking out of the water as she preened, her lavender and crimson pinprick irises lowered as she fretted over her sharp, red fingernails.</p><p>"I cannot believe my eyes, if they weren't attached to my head I would say I had gone blind," A smug voice laced with sweetness suddenly chimed in, making Kikyo perk up suddenly, huffing that someone had interrupted her preening.</p><p>"Yes, that's you, it would <strong>have</strong> to be you, Kikyo? Is that you I'm seeing?" The other girl asked, and Kikyo quickly turned her head, her tongue flicking back into her mouth from where she had been polishing her nails with it.</p><p>The other person interrupting her bathing seemed vaguely familiar, as Kikyo eyed her, and growled softly, her demonic nature truly exposed. The woman approached, dropping her purple and black robes to reveal a young, lithe body, her chest concealed by long locks of hair as she made her way down the steps, and into the heated water. Her thick, slightly frizzy black hair surrounded a small heart shaped face, accented by a gold seashell hair pin in the middle. Thin brows arched over bright lavender eye makeup on her blue eyes, and bright red painted lips, as she eyed Kikyo's appearance just as curiously.</p><p>"Tsubaki, I presume...?" Kikyo said slowly, stiffening her back in the water as the other got in.</p><p>"Hehe, so you <strong>do</strong> remember me! Though, I bet you're jealous I look so pretty, and you don't! Shouldn't you be an old woman by now? It seems instead, you've taken on the look of an <strong>ugly</strong> demon." Tsubaki giggled, fluffing her hair, and cradling the white snake nestled around her shoulders as she settled in, careful not to get it in the water.</p><p>"Did you in fact die a violent death at the hands of the man who loved you...?" Tsubaki purred, and Kikyo narrowed her eyes at her.</p><p>"Yes, but not because of your little curse. I find it hard to forget the Priestess who attempted to curse me 50 years ago, Tsubaki...But, I flung it back at you, and your curse was rendered useless on me, when it was your own shikigami biting you!" Kikyo snapped back, a red youki surrounding her, emanating from where the incomplete jewel was tainted by the red shard that Naraku had given her.</p><p>Tsubaki chuckled bitterly, green scales showing around one of her eyes, as she petted the shikigami she had made her pet. "Yes, unfortunately, you were able to evade my curse, but it seems your terrible destiny was still enough to kill you, and for that I am glad; despite the fact that I have been forced to hide my disfigured face with this piece of the jewel shard." She said, huffing as the burn mark faded with a purple light from her forehead.</p><p>"Oh, that tiny little fragment?" Kikyo snickered, and placed one hand on her sternum. Tsubaki's eyes travelled down her chest, widening once she saw the jewel there, and turning green with envy.</p><p>"That there, between your flat little breasts is mine! It was supposed to have been entrusted to me! Give it to me, Kikyo!" Tsubaki shouted, and Kikyo stood quickly, covering her well filled out chest with one arm, as Kagome scoffed from inside her.</p><p>
  <em>Flat?! Our chest isn't flat!</em>
</p><p>"Be quiet, girl!" Kikyo hissed, and Tsubaki took it that she was addressing her, standing up as well.</p><p>"I won't be silent, I'll take that jewel from you, just as you stole my youth!" Tsubaki cried out, and Kikyo narrowed her eyes, seeing the jewel shard that was in her forehead.</p><p>Tsubaki sensed this, and the snake around her shoulders lashed out at Kikyo, aiming for her eye, but she was quick to bat it away, sending it back towards Tsubaki, who backpedaled in the water, fear clear in her eyes as Kikyo advanced on her, and thrust her up against the rock wall by her neck, holding her there tightly; but not enough to kill her just yet.</p><p>"<em>Enough!</em> Tsubaki, back then, you and I were the most powerful priestesses in this land. Tell me, is there a way to separate a soul that has been joined with my own? When I was revived by the demon Urasue, she took the soul from my reincarnation, and used it to revive me, but now that I've eliminated my reincarnation, her spirit has returned to my own, and she won't leave my body now. What do you know?" Kikyo demanded, and Tsubaki struggled against her hand, wriggling as her hair flashed from grey to black.</p><p>"I- can tell you I've delved into the occult, and that- I know of the demon Urasue, and perhaps I could help you- but first, <em>let go</em> of my neck!" Tsubaki choked, grabbing at Kikyo's hand with both of hers, and struggling in the water.</p><p>Kikyo reached over, and slowly began pulling the jewel shard from Tsubaki's forehead, making her scream.</p><p>"Yes! I can separate your soul from hers!" She screamed, and Kikyo let go of the shard, dropping her in the water.</p><p>"Good. Show me, then." Kikyo said calmly, and stepped out of the water, her demon features receding, before putting on the traditional priestess garments.</p><p>"You really <strong>are</strong> a tricky one, Kikyo." Tsubaki coughed, and pulled her robes around her body, which seemed like it was sagging slightly before she quickly tied her robe together, and walked towards the temple.</p><p>
  <strong>~x•X•x~</strong>
</p><p>They were nearing closer and closer to the black storm clouds, now after the third day of tracking Naraku, Shippo stopped to fetch water from a nearby river. He happily pranced down the path, his fluffy tail wagging as he approached the shore.</p><p>"I wonder what type of fish Lord Sesshomaru likes?" He asked himself, sniffing, then making a questioning sound. "Hmm? That's odd. I smell.. blood?" Shippo said, then froze up; his tail puffing. The stream was red with tendrils of blood, and it was coming from upstream.</p><p>"Human blood. This water's no good." Jaken added, coming up behind him. Shippo turned tensely, already frightened.</p><p>"Something's up there, Jaken." He shivered, and the imp huffed at him, seemingly frustrated.</p><p>"Everywhere you turn you see something frightening! Toughen up, fox child! Walk up there, and fetch your breakfast!" He snapped, and Shippo nodded obediently, then scurried up the hill, sniffing all the while.</p><p>Jaken began to follow, just to see exactly what this scary thing was, so he could make fun of Shippo for being scared, when he heard a soft step behind him. Jaken turned and saw Sesshomaru, and immediately grovelled at his feet before he could even speak.</p><p>"Oh, M'lord, it was <em>terrible!</em> That poor, useless little brat was gobbled right up! See the blood in the stream? I thought it best not to go after him!" Jaken babbled, then was kicked away by a quick black boot. Sesshomaru ignored Jaken, and lept upstream, to where he suddenly heard Shippo screaming.</p><p>"Help!" He cried out, and the daiyoukai and a shaken Jaken appeared from the bushes, a lump on his head. Shippo was picked up, and shook by the man who looked like the dead Yakatsue holding him; inspecting Shippo's features, then deciding the little demon's face was too small, he held up a knife as if to gut him. The man had found some nice armour to wear, and had been trying on faces when Shippo came upon him, and saw him washing the bloody faces of the bandits in the water.</p><p>"Unhand him," Sesshomaru warned, stepping forth. Shippo yelled out, "Fox fire!" and blasted the man in the face, making him drop the little fox demon, and send him running back behind Sesshomaru's leg, where he hid. The man placed both hands on his damaged face, and began to sob, feeling the resonating sting where the fire had hurt him temporarily. He pulled his face off, revealing a blank slate where only the planes of a face remained.</p><p>"What the- This man has no face, M'lord! Be he like Mu-on'na, the nothing woman we used before to imitate InuYasha's mother?" Jaken said suspiciously, and Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes on the man, considering this; but this seemingly human man was thick with the scent of Naraku, and did not appear to be a demon.</p><p>"Who are you?" Sesshomaru said, flexing his claws, and holding his hand steady before the man in warning. He lowered his hands, still sobbing, and began to tell them how he came into being.</p><p>"I am nothing, yes... I have little memory of who I used to be, what was my name? I was asleep for so long in the darkness, until I heard her voice. Kikyo.." He cried, feeling his face, and dropping to his knees.</p><p>"That scent…Does he not smell the same as that despicable Naraku, M'lord?"</p><p>"Where is your master?" Sesshomaru questioned hastily, ignoring the incessant sobbing. The man paused, lifting his head, and slowly stood.</p><p>"I take orders from no-one. I just kill everyone I hate, and burn them!"</p><p>Sesshomaru huffed, "Then I have no qualms with you, unless you seek your death."</p><p>"That face... your face, it's beautiful... Yes, I <strong>must</strong> have it! Kikyo will only love me if I can make myself handsome!" Onigumo suddenly shouted, and hurried towards Sesshomaru; the great dog demon's golden eyes widening just slightly as Onigumo jumped for him, with a knife drawn to slice off his face, but he was quickly stopped from ever attacking, when Jaken used his Staff of Two heads, and a massive flame encased him, rendering him into a blackened and burnt form within seconds.</p><p>The old man's laugh at last stopped the flame, and Jaken pulled back his staff.</p><p>"That takes care of <strong>him</strong>! Nobody tries to steal my Lord Sesshomaru's beautiful face, and gets away with it!" He yelled out defiantly, then stabbed at the burnt body on the ground with his staff.</p><p>"That's enough, Jaken. Let's keep moving." Sesshomaru said, and Shippo agreed, ready to be far away from the burned corpse.</p><p>
  <strong>~x•X•x~</strong>
</p><p>Murmurs and whispers followed Kikyo and the dark priestess as they entered Tsubaki's sanctuary, the soft mutters that she heard were of her dark aura, and the demonic youki she emanated, though she had the appearance of any other shrine maiden.</p><p>"Come this way, Kikyo. I believe we should do this in private." She said, and led her down a dark staircase, into a basement beneath the temple. Candle sconces lit the corridor, as Kikyo followed Tsubaki, she noticed the way she appeared even more haggard and greyed in the dark, as they came down to a large room filled with an assortment of potion bottles, and Tsubaki gestured to a table. Notches were cut out of the sides for her wrists, and ankles to restrain her, she gathered from a short examination.</p><p>"Don't be afraid, now lie down and I will find the correct tincture." Tsubaki said, and Kikyo shrugged, having no fear of the other priestess. She knew that she would be able to handle herself if Tsubaki tried anything amiss. Kikyo lied down, and slipped her limbs into the openings.</p><p>Tsubaki found a tall black bottle on the shelf, and blew some dust off of it. Kikyo watched from the corner of her eye as the other priestess prepared for the ritual, lighting a few candles, and a brass incense burner, which she swung from a chain as she began chanting; making an invocation to summon a demon from the netherworld. Kikyo's eyes widened slightly, not expecting Tsubaki to be capable of wielding such a dark power. She poured an amber liquid from the bottle, and it puddled on the floor, parting the thick clouds of smoke rolling across the floor boards.</p><p><em>"Yuki Onna! Come to receive the soul that was stolen!"</em> Tsubaki shouted, and Kikyo stiffened, feeling a cold wind suddenly blowing in from the rattling floor boards, as Tsubaki grinned down at Kikyo, and waved the incense burner, the smoke curling out, and choking her, Kikyo coughed, her eyes growing watery from the heavily fragranced air.</p><p>"You shouldn't summon the tortured soul of Yuki Onna! She will claim <strong>more</strong> than just Kagome's soul, she desires a maiden's soul that will revive her <em>murdered spirit!"</em> Kikyo shouted, struggling against her restraints as Tsubaki continued the incantation, and snow began whirling up from the cracks in the floor. The snow woman was summoned from the deepest, coldest level of hell.</p><p>A blood curdling scream was followed by a tortured moan as she arose, gales of bitter winter wind whipping out from her tattered, bloody white robes. Tangled black hair clung around her frozen, frostbitten black skin, as she tossed her head back and moaned, dragging her long black nails across an icicle encrusted face where her endless streams of tears had frozen solid. Kikyo gasped as she screamed once again, shaking the walls as she revealed her slit open throat, where sharp teeth glistened.</p><p>"TSUBAKI! We shall both be devoured! The Onna is vengeful! You <strong>must</strong> release me!"</p><p><em>"Hyuuuuu…. Hyuuuhuhuhuhu…<strong>dororo</strong>" </em>Yuki Onna moaned in a haunting tone, and Tsubaki flung the incense smoke at her, making her spirit notice it's surroundings, sniffing hungrily, she lowered her head, and slowly calmed herself, the bitter winds slowing to snowflakes circling her, as her long black hair fell, and dragged on the floorboards as she walked, becoming deceptively beautiful, as she eyed Kikyo with her pale blue eyes, surrounded by redness. She made a low whining from her throat, reaching out with her black fingers, clawing at Kikyo's robes.</p><p>"<em>Soul</em>…" The demon hissed, eying the way that Kikyo's soul was now slowly emerging, white orbs floating out of her, as she gasped, and felt her body weakening.</p><p>"Onna, you may only take <strong>part</strong> of her soul! That is what I am ordering you here to do! Do <strong>not</strong> defy me! I will send you back to hell for all eternity!" Tsubaki shouted angrily, and Yuki Onna chattered at her, then growled, her voice guttural as she grew angry once again.</p><p>"<strong>dorodoro</strong>… Hungry. I have come to claim what must belong to me… Give it to mee… " She hissed, and made another achingly long howl that shook the bowels of the temple.</p><p>"Hyuuuuu..huhuh.." Her guttural voice rattled, once beautiful as she sang her tormented pleas, begging for her hurt soul to return. She turned her eyes down onto Kikyo, and stared, tears falling as her head tilted, and she pursed her black lips.</p><p>"We are but the same… murdered by the man we loved… Kikyo… Return to the netherworld and follow in my hidden path. They cannot find us there." She whispered through her tiny bow shaped lips, appearing innocent as she offered her palm to her, and Kikyo tossed her head back and forth, clenching her fists, and bringing out her demon youki.</p><p>Yuki Onna chattered, scattering back quickly, her hair rose up threateningly around her, as her eyes widened, and her hidden maw began to open once again, grinning hungrily.</p><p>"Return there… Go back to the depths you once knew, or stay hidden in the snow… Yuki Onna…" Kikyo grunted, feeling her soul being tugged, malignancies and all. Tsubaki cackled with her success as Kikyo appeared to be weakening, playing tug of war with the demon, and the last remaining bit of soul left in her body.</p><p>The soulless Kikyo slumped down onto the table, and Yuki Onna chattered gleefully, surrounded by orbs of light that she was reaching out to and admiring in her palms.</p><p>"Your work here is done, Yuki Onna. I have given you Kikyo's soul, and that's all I can part with. Now, <em>leave</em> this mortal plane!" Tsubaki shouted, and swung the smoke at her, making her hiss as it stung her skin and eyes, and she clawed at them, and began to sob mournfully.</p><p>"You have given me both a soul, and a worthy gift! The youki of a demoness priestess, something I have never come across in all my time devouring souls!" Yuki Onna cackled, and sucked in all the souls, and even the orbs of red youki, her eyes widening as she swallowed them. Tsubaki gasped, stumbling backward as Yuki Onna screeched with delight; and snow rushed up from around her in a tornado, the spirit orbs lashing around her angrily, as she felt the new soul within her taking hold.</p><p>She placed both hands on her face, her hair flying upwards as Kikyo found her spirit trapped inside Yuki Onna, and her eyes flew open, her demon power new emerged with the ice demon, a great, fluctuating youki surged out around her, as she turned her face quickly, and honed in on Tsubaki.</p><p>"She was the one who cursed us! Tsubaki, why have you plagued us! Give us back the life we have lost!" The both of them hissed, and Tsubaki dropped her incense burner, instead gesturing to attack with her white Shikigami snake.</p><p>"Don't blame me for your own misfortune! I have lost my life too, when you cursed me, you made it so that no man would ever love me!" She cried out angrily, and sent her Shikigami straight towards them.</p><p>Then, just as Kikyo and Yuki Onna were about to be attacked, Kikyo's inert body sat up, and at that moment it had the appearance of Kagome, more than Kikyo.</p><p>Suddenly, a voice erupted from Kikyo, her brown eyes lacking pupils.</p><p><em>"Tsubaki! Leave Kikyo and Yuki Onna be, you are the most cruel of all!"</em> Kagome shouted, and thrust her arms out, making Tsubaki tense suddenly, as her Shikigami was thrown back violently, and attacked her, Kagome turning her head to avoid seeing the blood splatter.</p><p>"Girl... Child…" A disembodied voice hissed, and Kagome turned to look towards it. Kikyo and Yuki Onna came forth, and hissed, fully merged now, the ice demon stalked forward, ready to at last slay the girl that had stopped them from having their revenge.</p><p>"<strong>Insolent</strong> child… You defy me...? I wished to rid my body of you, but now you have stolen it back from me… give it <strong>back</strong>!" Kikyo growled, and lashed out with her claws, but Kagome was able to avoid them, once Kikyo just nearly scratched her face, she sobbed out a wretched cry.</p><p>"It's ok. You can both be free now." Kagome said, smiling as the claws just barely touched her face, her eyes closing, small tears falling down as the creature shivered with her words.</p><p>"Yuki Onna. You should rest. Whatever cruel act was done to you in the past is over now. I promise. If you let go of your resentment, you'll be much happier. You should listen too, Kikyo. If you go back to Naraku, you and him can at last stop hiding. You should tell him how it makes you feel when he hurts you. Maybe one day, he can come to understand that his bitterness is only going to push the both of you apart. If you and he could make your peace, we could all be freed of this terrible tragedy." Kagome said softly, and the clawed hand released it's tension, slowly going back down, as the demoness lowered her face, and the hair covered her conflicted expression. A soft wind blowed, and a resonating sobbing could be heard that shook the walls of the temple, as Kagome looked on with encouragement, Kikyo's visage looking pure and innocent as she smiled, and offered her hands out to the other one, coming closer, and slowly embracing her.</p><p>"I'm so sorry, Kagome…I cannot go back to the way things once were. I am so full of hatred…" A muffled voice said, and made a choked sob and Kagome looked, puzzled as if to whether this was Kikyo, or Yuki Onna talking.</p><p>"I wish to rest at last, but only if he were to go to hell with me. I don't want to die all alone again…" The pale woman, concealed by lengths of sleek black hair said, as she clutched Kagome's back tightly.</p><p>"You won't be all alone, Yuki Onna. If you can forgive him, you can go on to Nirvana, where you may be at peace forever. You will never be alone again. I forgive you." Kagome said, and there was an ethereal sigh, as the coldness began to break, and instead, there was a bright, fluttering light flickering all around them, orbs twinkling and chiming as they began to rise from the woman.</p><p>Kagome looked back, and saw the sweet face of the snow woman now back to her human form, as she smiled warmly back at her, and thanked her.</p><p>"I think I'm ready to go to sleep, now. Thank you, kind priestess. I shall be immortally grateful to you." She whispered, then the light surrounded her, and she slowly dissipated, and Kagome was left holding a creature that was made of red light, the sacred jewel fragment in it's chest still glowing, as the purple illumination mixed with black made reflects across Kikyo's face that was possessed by Kagome.</p><p>"I need a mortal body, you cannot take my life from me. You already stole InuYasha from me, and softened his heart in my stead. Now this is my turn, I deserve to die in the arms of a man who loves me, and you shall go back to rest within me." Kikyo said bitterly, and before Kagome could speak, she was pulled back into the creature, and Kikyo returned to herself.</p><p>She looked to the mangled remnants of Tsubaki on the floor, and scoffed, turning away disdainfully. Kikyo had come with revenge in her heart, and left with a small piece of forgiveness.</p><p>
  <strong>~x•X•x~</strong>
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